On Friday, January 18, 2019, at approximately 5:45 P.M. Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to a three vehicle crash on Hwy 211 near milepost 3.

Preliminary investigation reveals that a Honda Accord was southbound on Hwy 211 when they lost control of their vehicle and slid sideways into the northbound lane.  A Chevrolet Van, operated by Illia Burigin (27) of Canby, was northbound and unable to avoid the Accord and the vehicles collided .  Moments after the collision, a Ford Contour, operated by Steven Furlow (28) of Mulino, was unable to avoid the initial crash and crashed into the Chevrolet Van.

The operator of the Honda Accord sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.  The name will be released after OSP can confirm that notifications have been made.

Burgin and Furlow were not transported as result of the crash.

There was heavy rains in the area at the time of the collision.

OSP was assisted by the Monitor Fire Department and ODOT.

On Friday, January 18, 2019, at approximately 3:00 P.M. Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to a two vehicle head on crash on Hwy 97 near milepost 159.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a white Toyota Camry, operated by Kevin Werts (56) of LaPine, was southbound on Hwy 97 and lost control and slid into the northbound lane and collided with a gray Hyundai Santa Fe, operated by Susan Pitarro (70) of Bend.

The roadway conditions at the time of the crash were packed snow and ice.

Werts sustained fatal injuries in the crash and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Pitarro and her passenger, Terry Thopson (63) of Bend, were transported to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend with serious injuries.

OSP was assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, Sunriver Police Department, Sunriver Fire Department, LaPine Fire Department, and ODOT.

On January 15, 2019, emergency personnel responded to a structure fire at 150 East River St. in Cave Junction.

Emergency personnel located Donald Thomas (65) deceased inside the structure.

Oregon State Police Major Crimes and Arson Detectives are investigating.   A male was seen igniting and throwing a flare at the residence.  Anyone with information related to this fatal fire is requested to contact the Oregon State Police Dispatch at 1-800-442-2068 or OSP and reference case #SP19-017772

Membership in Gem State credit unions is growing faster than the population.  

BOISE, Idaho (Jan. 18, 2019) — Gem State credit unions delivered $779 million in economic impact last year, according to a new report by ECONorthwest, the region’s largest economic consulting firm.  

The report, “2018 Economic Impacts of Credit Unions in Idaho,” commissioned by the Northwest Credit Union Association, measures jobs, economic output, and income supported by credit unions. 

Each Credit Union Member Benefits Directly  

Credit unions are nor-for-profit cooperatives and do not pay stockholders on Wall Street. Instead, they reinvest in their members, typically by offering lower interest rates on loans and credit cards, better returns on savings, and by charging fewer fees for services.  

Last year, Idaho credit unions delivered nearly $100 million in benefits to their membership, an average of $100 for each member. ECONorthwest found those benefits generated a ripple effect “buying power” of over $206 million when members reinvested the money back into their local communities. 

“In today’s economy, every dollar makes a difference,” said Troy Stang, NWCUA President and CEO. “When you know these dollars are coming to you because of your membership in a cooperative credit union vs. being used to enrich Wall Street stockholders, you know that makes a difference for your household.” 

 A Clear Choice for Consumers 

No wonder so many Idahoans have discovered the “Credit Union Difference.” About 57 percent of Gem State residents belong to a credit union – 992,000 consumers. Since ECONorthwest performed its last analysis of credit unions’ economic impact in 2017, an additional 75,000 Idaho consumers have joined a credit union. In fact, credit union membership is growing even faster than Idaho’s population; eight percent last year compared to 2.3 percent population growth. 

Workforce Support 

Idaho’s credit unions provide family-wage careers for 2,500 professionals. Each job supports 1.2 additional jobs in the economy, meaning the total impact of credit union employment supports 5,500 jobs. 

A Financial Partner in Rural Communities 

While the largest concentration of credit union membership is in Idaho’s larger cities, ECONorthwest found that credit unions offer vital financial services in rural communities. 

“While many out-of-state, for-profit financial services institutions have closed branches in rural communities, local credit unions remain committed to serving these populations, providing services such as agricultural, home, vehicle, and small business loans that area consumers need,” the report noted.    

ECONorthwest reported that 164,684 consumers – 49 percent Idaho’s rural residents—are leveraging the benefits of credit union membership.    

 “As a consumer in the marketplace, seeing that a not-for-profit cooperative credit union delivers these benefits to your friends, families, and neighbors, drives home the message that credit unions deliver value to Main Street, not Wall Street,” Stang said.  

Find out more about the Credit Union Difference. Visit http://idaholovescreditunions.com.  

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The Northwest Credit Union Association is the trade association representing over 180 not-for-profit, cooperative credit unions in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and their 7.3  million consumer members. Those members are served by a professional workforce of 18,700 professionals. According to an independent analysis by economists at ECONorthwest, Northwest credit unions drove a positive economic impact of $7.8 billion last year. For information on how to join a credit union, please visit  

The Oregon Heritage Commission is offering grants to qualified museums for collections, heritage tourism, and education and interpretation projects. Awards typically range between $2,000 and $10,000.

Museums may apply for a variety of projects. Collections projects may include cataloging, archival storage, disaster preparedness, and conservation. Heritage tourism projects may include museum marketing and promotions, enhancing visitor experience, and training for museum staff. Education and interpretation projects may include exhibits, online education, school classes, workshops, and camps. Museums may also partner with other organizations for projects that might be outside of the museum, but still meet the museum’s mission.

“This program serves museums of all sizes. We hope to see a variety of applications,” said Oregon Heritage Commission coordinator Beth Dehn. Past projects include exhibits at the Deschutes County Historical Museum, Umatilla Historical Society, and High Desert Museum; collections projects by Clackamas County Historical Society, Mt. Hood Cultural Center, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, Willamette Heritage Center; and a building project by Fort Rock Valley Historical Society.  

The online grant application is simple to use and includes plenty of support.  Free grant workshops on project planning, grant writing, and using the online grant application will be available. A workshop will be held in Salem on March 19 and a webinar workshop will be available on March 15. Recorded trainings and tips are also online.

The Heritage Commission is comprised of nine people representing Oregon’s heritage and geographical diversity who have been appointed by the Governor. There are also nine advisory representatives from state agencies and statewide organizations. The commission’s mission is to secure, sustain, and enhance Oregon's heritage by ensuring coordination of heritage initiatives by public and private organizations; advocacy on its behalf; education of the public about its extent and value; and promotion and celebration of its diversity.

To learn more about museum grants, visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at i.Gill@oregon.gov">Kuri.Gill@oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.

Foundation awards $10.9 Million in grants to local nonprofits, including nearly $500,00 to nonprofits in Southern Idaho

For Immediate Release

January 17, 2019

Vancouver WA – The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has announced its most recent collection of grants to nonprofits serving the Pacific Northwest, totaling close to $11 million for 48 projects. This includes two grants totaling $483,000 to the Children’s Home Society of Idaho and The Community Library.

“From helping refugees find community and build a home to supporting vulnerable children to addressing the mental health needs of our neighbors, these grants represent the critical work that countless nonprofits, corporate foundations, family foundations and volunteers are coming together with representatives of the business, government, healthcare, faith and education sectors to address in creative and sustainable ways,” said Steve Moore, executive director, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. “We are grateful that we are able to come along side and partner, even in some small way, with such a diverse collection of nonprofits serving the wide array of communities across the Pacific Northwest.”

To date, the Murdock Trust has awarded more than 6,500 grants totaling more than $975 million. Founded in 1975 by the estate of Melvin “Jack” Murdock, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust supports organizations that strengthen the region’s educational, social, spiritual and cultural base in creative and sustainable ways. Serving nonprofits in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, the Murdock Trust invests in projects across the health and human services, arts and culture, scientific research and educational sectors.

For more information on this round of grantmaking, please visit the Murdock Trust website. For questions, interviews or high resolution assets, please contact Colby Reade – yr@murdocktrust.org">colbyr@murdocktrust.org 360.694.8415.

About the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, created by the will of the late Melvin J. (Jack) Murdock, provides grants to organizations in five states of the Pacific Northwest—Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington—that seek to strengthen the region’s educational and cultural base in creative and sustainable ways. Since its inception in 1975, the Trust has awarded more than 6,500 grants totaling more than $975 million. For more information, find the Murdock Trust on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and the web.

Summary: 3 ways to support your workers’ resolutions

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While many recognize the new year as a chance to kickstart healthier habits, SAIF encourages you and your employees not to celebrate the next holiday on our calendars: quitters’ day. According to research by Strava, January 17 is the day most people will abandon their resolutions.

“Making resolutions is easy—keeping them is hard,” says Liz Hill, Total Worker Health® advisor at SAIF. “Making healthy habits a little more convenient can go a long way to helping your workers achieve their personal goals.”

Hill adds there are many benefits to having a healthy workforce.

“Just like your work can impact your home life, your life outside of work can impact your safety at work,” says Hill. “For instance, if you don’t get enough sleep every night, your risk of injury increases.”

That’s why SAIF is offering new free resources for promoting safe and healthy workplaces. The new content includes videos, posters, and one-page guides with tips on healthy eating, stress reduction, physical activity, and more.

As Hill explains, “your employees spend such a large percentage of their day at work, so it’s key to ensure the workplace supports their efforts.”

Here are three ways Hill says you can help employees skip right over quitters’ day:

• Eat healthy: Provide refrigerators and microwaves in break rooms so workers can bring healthy food from home. Reduce or eliminate junk food in vending machines and subsidize healthy choices.
   
• Get active: Make sure schedules are flexible and staffing is adequate to allow for quick walking breaks or a workout during the work day. Set an example by scheduling walking meetings. 
   
• Reduce stress: Support employee engagement by promoting a sense of purpose and autonomy, providing opportunities for learning and new experiences, and letting employees know they are valued.

For more ways to be well at work and at home, visit saif.com/promotehealth.

About SAIF

SAIF is Oregon's not-for-profit workers' compensation insurance company. Since 1914, we've been taking care of injured workers, helping people get back to work, and striving to make Oregon the safest and healthiest place to work. For more information, visit the About SAIF page on saif.com.

On Monday, January 14, 2019 at approximately 7:35 P.M. Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to a two vehicle crash on Hwy 22E near milepost 27.

Preliminary investigation shows that a 2004 Honda Pilot, operated by Brandy Doudna (42) of Mill City, was eastbound on Hwy 22E when she swerved to avoid hitting a deer.  The vehicle struck the guardrail and stopped perpendicular in the roadway.  Doudna attempted to move the vehicle but was unable.  As the occupants were exiting the vehicle a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee, operated by Kitaira Harvey (21) of Bend, was eastbound and struck the Honda Pilot.

A nine year old that was exiting the Honda Pilot was ejected in the impact. The child was taken to a local hospital and later transported by Life Flight to a Portland hospital.

No other occupants were transported as a result of the collision.

On Saturday, January 12, 2019 at approximately 1:35 P.M. Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to a report of a collision involving a commercial motor vehicle and a bicycle on Hwy 30 near milepost 17 in Multnomah County.

Preliminary investigation reveals that a commercial motor vehicle - with no trailers, operated by Dustan Thompson (40) of St. Helens, was eastbound on Hwy 30 in the right lane when a bicycle, operated by Scott Graser (54) of Scappoose, entered the eastbound right lane and a collision occurred.

Graser sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

Thompson was not injured and is cooperating with the investigation.

Investigation is continuing 

On Saturday, January 12, 2019 at approximately 2:35 A.M. Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to the report of a single vehicle crash on Hwy 260 near milepost 11 in Josephine County.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2006 Acura SUV, operated by Jason Barker (38) of Grants Pass, failed to negotiate a curve, drove off the roadway, and struck a tree. 

Barker sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

Alcohol is being investigated as a possible factor in the crash.

OSP was assisted by Rural Metro Fire and ODOT